Seeking Reassurance
by The Steppy One
Summary: Set after 'Your Eyes Open', Ron finds away to help Hermione cope when she can't find the reassurance she needs from people.


**Afternoon:D**

**So, not exactly what I promised you would be coming next, something totally different in fact!  
This one's set after 'Your Eyes Open', and it would probably be best if you read that one first, although you can probably follow things if you haven't.**

**Enjoy! ;)**

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Ron looked out the window into the garden. Hermione was out in the garden, sitting on a blanket and reading a book. He smiled and walked out the back door and stepped out into the sunshine. He instantly shut his eyes and stepped backwards into the shade.

'That shouldn't have hurt that much!' he mumbled rubbing his eyes. 'This is what you get for not checking your stocks of hangover potion before going out and getting lashed, Weasley!'

He thought for a second and then walked back into the house. He went to the kitchen and picked his sunglasses off the table. He put them on and walked back out of the house. He cautiously stepped into the sun and sighed when he didn't feel any pain in his head.

He walked over to Hermione and knelt down behind her.

'Interesting book?' he asked.

Hermione jumped at his voice, having been very engrossed in the huge tome.

'Just me,' Ron added quickly.

They had both managed to move on after the final battle and all the loss and suffering. They talked to each other about Harry and Ginny, and Charlie and George every day and that helped them. When they were upset they went out in the garden, rain or shine, just to think, or scream at the sky if it helped them.

Hermione turned her head and glimpsed Ron out of the corner of her eye. He sat behind her and stretched his legs out on either side of her.

'Are you okay?' he asked her.

'Yeah, I'm fine,' she replied. 'I was just reading and it seemed silly not to enjoy the sunshine on such a beautiful morning. How about you? Not too hungover?'

'No!' Ron replied, a little too quickly.

Hermione laughed.

'Liar!' she said simply.

Ron smiled, knowing he was beaten.

'Oh all right, I am slightly hung over. Blame Fred, it was his fault!'

'He poured the drinks down your throat did he?' Hermione asked as she closed the book. She turned around carefully and looked up at Ron.

Her smile slipped and Ron saw a shadow of fear cross her eyes.

'What?' he asked, slightly alarmed at Hermione's reaction. 'Hermione, what's wrong?'

Hermione closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

'Nothing,' she replied, her eyes still closed.

She took another deep breath and opened her eyes, but her gaze landed on the hem of his T-shirt.

'Why are you wearing those?' she asked quietly. 'I thought you didn't like them.'

'The sunglasses? Well I don't normally but the sun's really bright and my head protested... Oh, Merlin, they bother you don't they, you can't see my--'

'It's fine, Ron,' Hermione said, interrupting him.

'Look at me then,' he said quietly.

She raised her eyes to him for a second before dropping her gaze again.

'Properly, Hermione.'

She looked at him again, but after a few seconds her breathing started to get shallower and faster. She stood up and walked away from him.

'I'm sorry!' she cried out to him. 'I just...I can't help but see _them_ when I can't see--'

'It's my fault Hermione, I should have thought about it more!'

He stood and pulled the glasses from his face and walked around Hermione so she had to stop walking. He ignored the pain in his eyes and his head.

'But you shouldn't have to think twice about wearing your sunglasses in the sun, Ron!'

'Hermione, after what you've been through it's a small sacrifice to make. You make sacrifices for me too!'

'Nothing I've given up comes close to you feeling guilty for falling asleep before I do because I have a panic when I see you with your eyes closed!'

Tears formed in her eyes.

'It doesn't happen that often though, does it? He said calmly. 'Not anymore.'

'But I don't know when it will happen though, do I? I do really well for days, weeks even and then I flip out on you out of the blue! You shouldn't have to put up with me when the logical part of my brain decides to go haywire!'

'Hermione, part of me loves it when the logical part of your brain goes haywire! It reminds you that you're human and are allowed to make mistakes and not cope sometimes. It means I get to look after you and repay the times you've had to pull me together after I've broken down completely!'

Hermione sniffed and glanced up at Ron who was trying so hard not to wince at the pain in his eyes and his head.

'We're a right pair, aren't we?' Hermione said quietly. 'It's a good thing we're together, we'd never find anyone to have us otherwise!'

Ron chuckled and held his hand out to Hermione. She took his hand and they stood, just holding hands and looking at each other.

'You're in pain, Ron, put the sunglasses back on.'

'I'm not!' Ron replied a little too quickly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. She placed her hands on the side of Ron's head.

'Look down,' she said, and he did.

'Look left,' again he obeyed her request.

'Look up.'

He couldn't help it, a small moan of pain escaped his lips and he shut his eyes against the bright sky.

'Put the sunglasses back on, Ron. Now! You're not damaging your eyes just because of me. Please.'

Ron sighed and retrieved the glasses from the ground where they had haphazardly landed when he discarded them earlier. He hesitated, but with an encouraging nod from Hermione he put them on.

'You okay?' he asked her quietly, taking both her hands in his.

'Yeah, I am.'

'Sure?'

'No,' she replied with a sad smile. 'But I won't get used to them if I don't see you wearing them will I?'

'Well, no, but— oh wait!'

He took the glasses off his face, stopping Hermione from protesting by putting a finger on her lips at the same time.

He took his wand out of his jeans belt loop and concentrated for a second before waving his wand one way and then the other. He smiled at the result and put them back on his face.

'Oh!' Hermione said quietly, a look of comprehension on her face. 'I take it they're still dark to you, even though they look like normal glasses to me?'

Ron nodded. 'You know you're quite intelligent when you put your mind to it!'

His comment earned him a half-hearted punch on the shoulder.

'Quiet, four eyes!' she said with a huge grin.

Ron laughed out loud and pulled her into a hug. His smile slipped as he inhaled the scent of her hair.

'I blame myself a bit, for all this.'

'I take it you're not talking about your hangover,' Hermione said into his shoulder.

'No, 'fraid not.'

She pulled back from him and he walked back over to the blanket they had moved away from and sat down. Hermione sat down in front of him.

'When we were searching for the Horcruxes I told you that you could find sanctuary in me, in my eyes any time you wanted. Anytime you missed the blue of the sky you could look at my eyes and get lost in them all you wanted to. I think that's why you reacted so badly when… well, after everything. You found reassurance in people through their eyes, you needed it, and after the fight, when everything was over, people couldn't give you it.'

He noticed the tears forming in her eyes, and she didn't try and hide them.

'If I hadn't done that, you might not have your…little…thing.'

Despite her tears she smiled. There wasn't a technical term for her problem. Her parents had tried to convince her she had some kind of Post Traumatic Stress, but she didn't like taking up Healer and doctor time. It wasn't a pride thing, she just knew that after the war, there were people out there who needed help more than she did.

'Ron, if you hadn't done that, I'd have much bigger problems than this. That time was hard on all of us, unbelievably hard, and you made it so I could carry on and do what we had to. It might be true what you said, that I find reassurances by looking at people's eyes and it's probably why right after the war I couldn't cope with everything, but I'll get there. But please promise me you won't blame yourself for this anymore.'

He nodded. 'Okay.'

They sat in silence for a minute, contemplating what had just been said.

'Close your eyes,' Ron said in a whisper.

'What?' Hermione asked, surprised.

'You trust me, don't you?'

'Of course.'

'Then close your eyes, please.'

She nodded and slowly closed her eyes.

He saw her tense instantly. She hated not knowing what was going on.

'Relax,' he whispered.

She took a deep breath, trying to do as he asked.

'You need to learn to take your assurances from people without using your eyes. Just relax and listen to what I'm saying and react to what I do, okay?'

Hermione nodded.

'I love you, Hermione,' he said firmly while squeezing her hands.

She nodded and have his hands a squeeze back.

He let go of her hands and shuffled backwards.

'I'm still here, in front of you.'

She nodded again.

He got up and quietly moved behind her.

'Where am I now?' he asked quietly.

She jumped ever so slightly at his voice.

'You're behind me.'

'And how do you know that?'

'I can hear you and I can…kind of…feel you there.'

He moved slowly towards her stopping when he was knelt behind her. He slowly stroked up and down her arms.

'I still love you, Hermione.'

Hermione wanted to return his words but they got caught behind a sob that was trying to force itself out.

'Don't keep your tears in, Hermione, let them out.'

She took in a shaky breath. 'How…how did you know I n…needed to cry?' she asked.

'Because I learnt to read you without seeing your beautiful eyes, you can do the same with me, you need to remember how to do it with others. Will you help me remind you how to do it?'

She nodded her head frantically and turned in her seat. Ron gathered her in her arms and held her as she cried. After a minute she regained her composure.

'Thank you, Ron. Thank you. I love you so much. You know just what I need. Always.'

'What can I say? I learned from you. I'm just giving you back what you gave me.'

She pulled back and smiled at him. 'You look kind of sexy in those glasses, you know. You look intelligent too!'

Her smile turned to a cheeky grin.

'Obviously they're mirroring what's inside my head already!'

'Well, obviously!'

Ron yawned widely. Hermione took his hand and put it over his mouth, raising an eyebrow as she did. Ron stuck his tongue out at her.

'Mind if I have a kip out here?'

Hermione smiled. 'Not at all. As long as I can use you as a book rest!'

'Well, that is my main purpose as your boyfriend, so of course you can!'

He kissed her before lying down on the rug, stretching out and then relaxing into a comfortable position. He winked at her and then shut his eyes.

Hermione leant over and took the glasses off his face; he smiled without opening her eyes.

She looked over at him and thought for a second. She could tell by looking at him that he was happy. He was calm, content and relaxed and she could tell all of that without seeing it in his eyes. She put her book down and lay down next to Ron. He cuddled up to her and she relaxed in his arms.

The sun was shining and they were both happy.

And at that minute that was all that mattered.

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Reviews are much appreciated, ta! 


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